JL;DR SUMMARY The article discusses the idea of the "wingnut theory of politics," which posits that public policy is made through a three-step process: taking over a wing of a major political party, taking over the party as a whole, and imposing a comprehensive platform on the country. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.